Camp Moonlight: Book One: Melody
by Captain T-Rex
Summary: What's the meaning of life? There is none. Follow your destiny and everything will turn out okay.
1. Welcome to Camp Moonlight

"Melody, darling?"

Melody turned around. "Hmm?"

Ray smiled. "I was wondering if you'd like to come with me to iHop after school?" He asked.

Melody thought about it. "Well, I guess I can."

Ray grinned. "Great!" He gave her a quick kiss, then ran off. "Catch you later!"

"Melody, you're fourteen." Desiree said with a frown on her face.

Melody nodded. Desiree frowned more. "So," she started. "Aren't you a bit young to have a boyfriend?"

Melody scoffed. "No, Desiree. I'm actually not."

With a 'hmph', Melody turned and walked off, an annoyed look on her face.

~o~

Ray walked Melody back to her house. "I'll see you tomorrow, Ray!" She said cheerfully.

He smiled and pulled her into a kiss. They kissed for a minute before Melody finally broke it off. She gave him a smile. "Bye, darling." Ray said.

Melody spun on her heel and went into the house.

"Hi, Melody," her dad greeted. "There's something I have to tell you."

She stopped in her tracks at that. She pulled on a lock of her curly golden hair. "What is it, Dad?"

He sighed deeply. "Well, summer break is in a few days. And...I'm sending you to a summer camp."

Her eyes bulged. "What? Dad, you can't be serious!"

"Oh, I'm being serious, alright, Melody."

She scowled. "Dad, I had lots of plans for this summer!"

"Well, young woman, your plans just got cancelled."

"Dad! You can't force me to go somewhere I don't want to go!"

"On the contrary, Melody, I can. And you're powerless to stop me."

She flung her backpack into the corner. "Ugh. Fine. I'll tell my friends tomorrow."

"You can't. I've just pulled you from the school. You'll focus the next two days on packing only. Stay away from that phone. Watch TV while you pack for all I care, but don't even try to touch that phone. I'm not going to let you slack off by texting and calling your friends. You will pack for summer camp and will do that only. This is a necessity, Melody."

"A necessity? A _necessity?_ Don't you think that's a bit of an overreactment, Da-"

"Don't. Talk. Back, Melody. Tell Ray and your friends tonight, then I'll take your phone. You can't take that to camp with you."

"What? I can't take my phone?"

"No. You can't. Now hop to it!"

~o~

It was the third day after her dad told her about summer camp. Melody's bags were all packed. She yawned, her eyes drooping. She had woken up at five o' clock and was not ready to start the day. She had talked to Desiree, Ray, and her other friend, Petunia, on the phone before they got ready for school. Summer break started the next day, and Melody was thoroughly upset that she couldn't spend one last school day with them before she left.

"Summer camp in another state..." She mumbled to herself as she carried her bags to the car. "Yeah. Sounds great..."

"Ready to go, Mel?" Her father, Jayce, asked.

"No," She said shortly.

Jayce gave her a stern look. "Come on, Melody. Stop pouting."

Melody bit back a sharp retort. "Fine. Yes, Dad, I'm ready to go," she said very unenthusiastically.

He grinned. "Much better."

They climbed into the car, buckling their seatbelts and locking the car before speeding off.

It was an hour drive to the airport.

On the way, Melody stared out the window, silent.

Jayce turned down the music. "Melody, it's a great camp. That's the one that your aunt and I went to."

Melody blinked and finally turned to look at him. "I'm going to that same one?"

He nodded. "Yep!"

Melody had a major amount of stress going through airport security. It wasn't like she had anything illegal, it just made her nervous.

When the plane started boarding, Melody gave Jayce a hug and kiss on the cheek.

"Make sure to ask the camp director to let you use the camp phone to call me as soon as you get there!" Jayce said.

Melody nodded. "I will, Dad. Bye!"

They hugged again and Melody boarded the plane.

~o~

During the plane ride, Melody paid for TV using her Dad's old credit card that he gave her. She watched TV the entire flight, until she finally landed. She got a taxi. She handed the driver the address her dad wrote on a slip of paper.

The driver clicked his tongue. "That's rather far from here. I'm rather eager to end my shift and head home to spend time with my brother," he explained. "Tell you what, I'll drive you halfway, since the halfway point is on my way home, and you take another taxi the rest of the way."

Melody nodded. "Alright."

The driver did as he said. He dropped her off where there was another empty taxi just about to leave. She hurriedly paid and hopped in the other taxi. She gave the driver the address.

The driver smiled. "Sure!" She exclaimed, in a thick Southern accent. "I can take ya there! I hope ya don't mind if I play some music. It makes my job much more enjoyable, ya see."

I nod. "It's fine with me!"

The driver tuned into a rock 'n roll station, on which a Linkin Park song was currently playing. The driver grinned. "Great! I love this song!" She turned the volume up until it was blasting.

The drive was uneventful, and Melody was thankful when they got there.

The driver blinked. She turned the music down. "Say, this is just an old dirt road. Why'd ya want to come here?"

Melody looked at the instructions on the paper. "I'm walking the rest of the way."

"Ah, alrighty."

Melody paid and hopped out of the car, grabbing her luggage. The taxi sped off as Melody started down the road. It was a tiring walk, so she kept her mind occupied with all the gossip Petunia told her that morning. Melody smiled, enjoying a few of the sillier rumors.

The road cut through a forest, which stretched on for about ten minutes, before she finally emerged. Her eyes widened. She saw a large area in front of her. With a grin, she moved forward, not quite knowing where to go.

She looked at all the cabins around her. There were so many, it was insane.

"Yo, kid, you new here?"

Melody whirled around. Standing behind her was a pale, tall girl with choppy black hair and dark brown eyes. She wore denim short-shorts and fishnet leggings. She had a black crop-top with Greek writing on it.

Melody didn't know how, but she somehow understood the writing. Blessed Death. That's what it said.

"Why does your shirt say that?" Melody asked, confused.

"I'll answer your question when you answer mine," the girl said with a shrug.

Melody groaned. "My name is Melody. Yes, I'm new here. I have no idea what's going on. I want to find the camp director."

The girl laughed. "You can find him in that big white house over there. He's tall and he has black hair and strange orange-ish eyes. You'll know him when you see him."

I make my way to the house. I walk in and find the camp director sitting at a desk. He looks up. "Hello!" He greets. "You must be..." he looks at a file. "Ah, Melody Francis?"

Melody nodded. "Yeah, who are you?"

"My name is Kalmin. Welcome to Camp Moonlight. I suppose you would like me to explain everything for you?"

Melody shook her head. "No. I would like to call my Dad, please."

Kalmin nodded. "Of course. Phone's over there," He gestured to a phone sitting on a smaller desk.

Melody picked up the phone and dialed her Dad's number. She lifted it to her ear.

 _"Hello?"_

"Hey, it's Melody. I'm here, Dad."


	2. Gossip Girl

Melody walked out of the Big House, still stunned by what her dad had told her. The girl with the black hair was still waiting outside.

"I never caught your name," Melody said.

The girl smiled. "Naomi. So, do you know anything about this place now?"

Melody nodded. "Now I know why my dad made sure I knew a lot about Greek mythology growing up."

Naomi smiled. "You haven't been claimed yet, correct? And your father doesn't know who your Godly parent is?"

Melody shook her head.

"I'll take you to the Hermes cabin. You'll stay there until you're claimed."

They started walking to the Hermes cabin.

"So..." Melody started. "Who's your Godly parent, Naomi?"

"Her name is Makaria. She's the goddess of blessed death."

Melody blinked. "I've heard of her. And that explains why that's on your shirt."

Naomi nodded. "Yep."

Naomi opened the door to the Hermes cabin. A teenage boy with shaggy blond hair looked up.

"Here's another unclaimed for you," Naomi said. She smiled at Melody. "Catch you later, kid."

Naomi slipped out of the cabin. Melody turned to the boy. "Uh, hi."

The boy smiled. "Hi, there!" He said cheerfully, his bright blue eyes twinkling. "I'm Noah. And who might youuuuu be?"

"Melody."

"Nice name," Noah said simply.

"Aren't there more kids here? Why are you the only one?"

"Everyone's out doing stuff they're not supposed to do," Noah said with a grin. "Hermes kids. The other unclaimed ones are probably hanging out at the food court."

Melody looked around, observing the cabin. All the beds were bunk beds. The walls were simple and plain. A bunch of random items were scattered around, bags and backpacks stuffed under beds. There were things scattered _across_ the beds. It would have been a normal cabin if it wasn't so messy.

"What bed can I take?" She asked.

"That top bunk up there," Noah said, pointing to the top bunk of the bed across from his.

"Thanks!" Since there were bags on one side of the bed, she set her's on the other side. She pulled out a book and climbed onto the top bunk. "Hey, Noah?"

"Yes?"

"Who sleeps on the bottom bunk?"

Noah looked up from his sketchbook. "That would be Garrett. He's unclaimed, too."

Melody laid down, opening her book and holding it above her head.

After a while, she pulled out two peanut butter and jelly sandwiches she made for herself out of one bag, climbing back up onto her bunk. She ate them rather quickly.

Night came fast and all the kids were back in the cabin. The boy who slept on the bottom bunk of her bed, Garrett, waved to her and crawled into his bed. She pulled the sheets over herself, closing her blue and gold eyes, quickly falling asleep.

~o~

A few weeks had passed since Melody had first started her stay at the Hermes cabin. She had become close friends with Garrett, Noah, and another unclaimed girl named Cora.

Melody was woken up by a loud, almost gunshot-like sound and a scream. Melody sat up immediately, frantically flailing to untangle herself from her bedsheets. When she finally freed herself, she saw Cora standing rigidly, her hands balled into fists and her face red.

Two other Hermes kids, Jacob and Layla, were laughing extremely hard.

Cora ripped a flower out of her long black hair, throwing it on the ground. "A firecracker?!" She yelled. "A firecracker! Of course! Just what I'd expect from a couple of low-life, idiotic, immature Hermes kids!"

Layla scowled. "Lighten up, princess. We were just trying to have some fun." Jacob nodded in agreement.

"Fun! I DON'T GIVE A SHIT ABOUT YOUR GODDAMN _FUN!_ FINE! GO HAVE YOURSELVES A LAUGH RIOT! FINE! JUST! DON'T! INCLUDE ME!" Cora screamed, her face scarlet.

Layla and Jacob were stunned by the outburst.

Cora rubbed her temples. "I swear, ONE MORE SECOND in this cabin and I am going to BREAK."

At that moment, a tiny chest appeared above her head, floating above her. It was covered in beautiful, soft pink, tiny flowers. Cora looked up at it, a look of confusion on her face.

Maisey, the head counselor, who had been at camp since she was six (she was now sixteen), looked up. "Congratulations, Cora. You're a child of Antheia. Goddess of floral decorations. I'll help you find your cabin." Maisey clipped a few barrettes into her short auburn hair, before standing up. She rubbed her face, yawning.

Maisey slipped out of the Hermes cabin. Cora followed, grinning madly, excitement clear in her hazel eyes.

Melody frowned. She didn't want Cora to leave. _It's okay, Melody,_ She thought. _She's not gone forever._

Sighing, Melody left the cabin. She made her way to the Big House. She walked inside. Kalmin looked up.

"Hello, Melody!" He greeted.

"Hi, Kalmin," Melody responded. "May I please use the phone to call my Dad?"

Kalmin nodded. "Be my guest."

Melody grabbed the phone and dialed Jayce's number.

 _"Hello?"_

"Hi, Dad," Melody said.

 _"Melody! Hi!"_

Melody sighed. "Cora got claimed."

 _"Really? How great! Who's her godly parent?"_

"Antheia. And no, Dad, not great. I miss her so much already."

 _"Well, she's not gone forever, baby girl. I'll call you tomorrow to wish you happy birthday."_

"Right. My birthday. I forgot," Melody wiped a tear from her eye.

 _"Well, I better get going. Love you."_

"Love you, too."

Melody sat the phone back down. "Thanks, Kalmin."

Kalmin smiled. "My pleasure! The spirits informed me that Cora was claimed."

Melody nodded.

Kalmin grinned. "Excellent! I'll mark that on her file."

He opened a drawer marked "Unclaimed" and pulled out a file.

While Kalmin was marking the file and re-organizing the "Claimed" drawer, Melody decided to look at her own file and see what was written.

Sneakily, she searched through the files until she found her name, pulling it out.

 _Melody Francis_

 _Female_

 _Daughter of Jayce Francis_

 _Age: 14_

 _Date of Birth: October 31st, 2000_

 _Height: 5"1_

 _Golden hair - curly_

 _Blue eyes, central heterochromia - gold._

After that, there was a line saying "Claimed" With an unchecked box next to it. The line for the Godly parent was blank.

"That better change soon," she mumbled to herself, putting the file back and exiting the Big House.

~o~

Back at the Hermes cabin, Melody wasn't feeling too cheerful. She stayed in her bed, just reading.

"Hey, look!" Garrett exclaimed.

Melody leaned over the edge of the bunk, her eyes widening at what she saw.

Floating above Garrett's head was a small chest marked with the word 'Dreams'.

Maisey blinked. "It's a good thing that the symbols don't disappear until the parent is recognized," she mumbled. "Hypnos?" The symbol didn't disappear. "Morpheus?"

With that, the chest disappeared. Garrett grinned.

Maisey got up. "Let's go see where your cabin is."

Garrett quickly stuffed his things into his bags and the two left the Hermes cabin. Melody, frustrated and upset, threw her book onto the bed, leaping down.

She stormed out of the Hermes cabin. Noah followed after her.

"Hey, Melody!" He called, jogging after her as she started to run. "Where are you going?"

Melody stopped in her tracks, whipping around. Noah came to a quick halt, nearly slamming into her. Melody crossed her arms, fixing her narrowed eyes on him.

"What's the matter?" He asked.

Melody threw her hands up in the air. "I give up! If I knew who my Godly parent was, that'd be really nice. But, naturally, I don't. Cora came here days after me and she's already claimed! I didn't want to come to this stupid camp in the first place!"

Noah scowled. "Nice job overreacting, Melody. How much more impatient can you be? I waited three months to be claimed! You know that girl, Mabel? She's been here for two years and still hasn't been claimed and she's not bothered by it! What's your problem?"

"My problem," Melody snarled. "Is that my own mother won't even acknowledge me! I've never felt like this before! People have always acknowledged me!"

Noah groaned. "Melody! That's not how life works! If you're not worth acknowledging, then you're not worth acknowledging! Deal with it!"

Melody blinked, hurt. "Well, the only thing I'm good for, then, is _gossip!"_ She spat.

Noah stared above her head. Confused, Melody looked up. Her eyes widened. Floating above her head was a trumpet.

There was an excited squeal.

A younger girl, maybe eleven, came prancing over. She turned around and shouted. "Hey, Missy! Come look!"

A girl older than Melody, her dark brown hair streaked with black, purple, and green, walked over. She looked Melody up and down. "Hello, sister!" She greeted.

Melody blinked as the trumpet vanished. "What?"

"You're a child of Pheme," Missy explained. "Just like me and Junie over here."

The young girl waved. "Along," Missy continued. "With others."

"Pheme?" Melody asked, pure confusion on her face.

"Goddess of gossip, rumor, report, stuff like that," Missy said dismissively.

Noah looked at Melody. "Obviously she was just waiting for you to say 'gossip' to claim you."

Missy smiled at Melody. "Well, grab your bags and I'll take you to our looooovely cabin."


End file.
